Adfest asks Finch Sydney executive producer Michael Hilliard ‘What makes a good story?’

Michael Hilliard, executive producer at Finch, Sydney, believes film craft still sits at the heart of so much of the content that is shared on the internet.

He is joining Adfest 2015 to lead the Film Craft Lotus and New Director Lotus categories as jury president. Here’s what he told ADFESTbuzz…

What can you tell us about Finch?

They use tools. They actually change the tools and modify them on site to suit. They are a key part of Darwin’s theory of evolution. They are also a production company with offices in Auckland and Sydney.

In a digital age, do you think film craft and technological innovation are both equally important?

Film craft is built on technological innovation: Motion Picture Film. Sync Sound. Colour Film. TechnoCrane. SteadiCam. Russian Arm. Avid. ProTools. Digital Colour Correction. Digital Effects. Why arbitrarily draw the line at 1950, 1975, or 2000 and say that is when innovation in film should have stopped? 

The Internet, the biggest innovation in film distribution, collaboration, and archiving, is going to save film craft.

What makes a good story?

The conversation after.

Who is the most interesting person you’ve ever had lunch with?

Karl Childers. He is such a deep thinker.

What scares you?

When the phrases “in perpetuity” and “work-for-hire” appear in a Non-Disclosure Agreement.

You are overseeing the New Director Lotus category, and the Fabulous Four competition at ADFEST, as well as Film Craft. What do you look for in a new director? 

A fresh take. I have watched a lot of content, and yet when you see something great for the first time, you still get the tingles.

The theme of Adfest 2015 is “Be Bad”. Are you ever badly behaved?

Sometimes it is important to do things you are told not to do. Every job has those moments.  Provided you are polite and friendly, bad can be OK, rude is not good.

If you could invite any three people to a dinner party (dead or alive), who would they be?

That is too much power for anyone to handle responsibly, like the large hadron collider.

Favorite film?

Die Hard. It is entertaining and has some practical travel tips, which I have actually used.

Favorite project or campaign you’ve been involved in at Finch?

I love all my children the same.